Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. Owners have filed 2,440 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. For the Hyundai Santa Fe, that's 1.33 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, 3.0× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2017, 2013 and 2014.
Engine complaints
2,440
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
1.33
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
42%
of 5,809 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
4
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Hyundai Santa Fe engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 70 | — | 12.9% | 4 | — | 19 |
| 2009 | 67 | — | 18.8% | 5 | — | 20 |
| 2010 | 45 | — | 17.6% | 4 | — | 42 |
| 2011 | 72 | — | 39.8% | 8 | — | 46 |
| 2012 | 234 | — | 66.5% | 19 | 20V746000 | 42 |
| 2013WORST | 279 | — | 46.2% | 30 | — | 18 |
| 2014WORST | 278 | — | 56.4% | 24 | — | 11 |
| 2015 | 159 | 1.35 | 62.8% | 8 | — | 11 |
| 2016 | 152 | 1.16 | 64.7% | 3 | — | 11 |
| 2017WORST | 646 | 4.85 | 68.9% | 15 | 17V578000 | 9 |
| 2018 | 55 | 0.47 | 50.9% | 3 | — | 9 |
| 2019 | 67 | 0.53 | 35.3% | 5 | — | 71 |
| 2020 | 73 | 0.72 | 37.6% | 4 | — | 34 |
| 2021 | 45 | 0.4 | 24.7% | 0 | — | 18 |
| 2022 | 72 | 0.62 | 28.5% | 0 | 22V197000 | 22 |
| 2023 | 63 | — | 22.7% | 2 | — | 8 |
| 2024 | 18 | — | 10.8% | 0 | — | 3 |
| 2025 | 45 | — | 19.7% | 1 | 25V549000 | 6 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Hyundai Santa Fe engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 2,440 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Hyundai Santa Fe years to avoid for the engine
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe
646 engine complaints (68.9% of the year's 937), 4.85 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement. Covered by engine recall 17V578000.
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
279 engine complaints (46.2% of the year's 604). Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement.
2014 Hyundai Santa Fe
278 engine complaints (56.4% of the year's 493). Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Hyundai Santa Fe years to avoid.
Hyundai Santa Fe engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Hyundai Santa Fe model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 25V549000 · 2025-08-26 · 2025 models
The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power and engine damage, possibly resulting in an oil leak.
- 22V197000 · 2022-03-28 · 2022 models
The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
- 20V746000 · 2020-12-01 · 2012 models
The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.
- 17V578000 · 2017-09-20 · 2017 models
The crankshaft assemblies may have been produced with surface irregularities in the crankshaft pin, causing engine bearing wear.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 646 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, 68.9% of all 937 complaints for that year, or 4.85 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (312 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 17V578000. 15 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 279 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, 46.2% of all 604 complaints for that year. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (119 complaints). 30 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 278 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe, 56.4% of all 493 complaints for that year. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (135 complaints). 24 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Hyundai Santa Fe years have the most engine complaints?
2017 (646), 2013 (279) and 2014 (278), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Hyundai Santa Fe engine problems?
In the 2,440 engine complaints, owners most often describe engine failure, seizure or replacement (36.8%), stalling or shutting off while driving (25.6%) and misfire or check-engine light (23.5%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Hyundai Santa Fe model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration